The Holy Sojourn Chapter 13
I Má Lyma Thereon Fumna left us and resumed her seat inside that I may mourn the passing of Gareth. It was in my sorrow that I was granted acquaintance with a man named Matthias. He was strong of soul yet of tender heart and came to my side during my woes. “Matthias,” I asked him. “Do you live within the halls of Fumna?” “I have for a time, my lord. I have found it my calling to seek that which requires my aid, and my home and family were left behind many years ago.” “And what of your family, Matthias? By what name am I to call you?” “Son of Dorn, why ask me of my lineage? Men come and go as leaves of the seasons, brought new breath in the spring and wilting away before the whispers of winter. What am I but a new bud upon the vines of spring’s return? I would rather my familial descent be one of unimportance; rather, I wish it be that those who hear my name think rather upon what will descend from me.” “Then I would suppose it you have heard of my quest?” “That I have, Dane, son of Dorn. No more noble or holy a sojourn can I think. What aid might I be to you?” “Matthias, when I began my journey across the wide open stretches of this world I was but a boy, my years before me seemingly unending. I was a stranger to the thoughts of mortality, a feckless youth in the face of death. Yet now I am as a close friend to the sorrows of Unquala; my journey began alone, and upon my travels I garnered a following of five. Now the last of them has passed and I am an old man. My time for this world is not long, and I pray my quest be completed before my eyes sleep for the last time.” “Then come, Dane, and I will be your eyes in the night, your footing in the dark and your shield against the winds and rains. Long have I wanted to return the mercies granted to me. I will be your disciple in the dusk of your age and make known your journey.” So it was that Matthias became my last disciple and followed me until there was nowhere left to go. As we were making ready to depart the halls of Leva Emil, Fumna asked of us to make note of that which was to transpire in her halls. She summoned before her the House of Khron; their patriarch, their matriarch, their sons and daughters, servants and animal stocks. When they reached the many-breasted place, hall of mothers and seat of Fumna’s power, they found the Lord of Mercy seated upon the heights of her throne. She spoke first to King Khron. “What dominion does your crown hold?” He bowed and said, “My Lord, I am ruler of the house Khrom of the southern lands of Kuhm-Yta, of which our vassals give you praise.” “And how do you praise Me?” “Many long are the hours we pray in your shadow, O peerless Queen that holds the world in Her embrace. At the dawn of the Seventh day of every month we seek our strongest goats and lambs and bring them, seven strong, to the alters of Your grace. We make fragrant our bodies with incense and wash our hair and beards in oil that we may please You. We mount our sacrifice on pillars of sacred wood and make the fire strong that the smoke may be as a pleasing aroma to you.” On this Fumna stood up, and the Fumnites were troubled throughout the courts of Mercy. Anger sat on her lips but her brow was furrowed with mercy. She lifted her hand and shouted in a rage. “What fools you are! What heathens have lived in the halls of My lands? Have I not instructed you in the ways you are to worship Me?” When he heard this, King Khrom lay prostrate on the gound before Her; his courts did the same, no face unburied. Then he spoke, saying, “My Lord, we only did as we thought would please you.” “You, who sit aloof in your castles and care so little for those outside your walls. You, who when shown the suffering of your fellow man would rather hide away like cowardly mice!” She sat, Her anger a pillar before Her. “Within the care of the lands of Khrom sat the villages of Dier and Fothom. Many strong were their families; often were their men put to labor for your gains. Yet when the famine came and the crops ran dry, you sealed away your stores of wheat and water and sat upon your spoils. Your sacrifices fell on deaf ears, your prayers as grinding metal. Had your truly wished My favor, those people of Dier and Fothom would not have lost so many, for your halls would have been opened to them and their bellies not condemned to become as barren holes.” As the King Khrom begged for forgiveness, the halls of Mercy were lined with statues that seemed as if to move. Then, by the command of Fumna, the stone titans were relieved of their bonds and stepped forth. They seized King Khrom and with their great might tore him to pieces: his head, his arms, his legs, his privates, and his heart, seven pieces in all. To the statues Fumna spoke, “You will disseminate the pieces and scatter them to the winds of the world that he may never know rest beyond the Veil.” The statues did as they were told, and King Khrom was no more. Fumna heard the woes of the Khrom family and compassion rested upon Her. The Queen Khrom spoke next to the Lord of Mercy. “Are you not the Goddess of Mercy? What forgiveness is there in restless death?” “What was done was merciful, Queen Khrom. Were I Húrin, none of you would yet draw breath. Your sins are not yet alleviated, Queen of Khrom.” “I wish to undo the sins of my house, Lord of Mercy.” “You are to take in the children of Dier and Fothom whose parents were lost to the famine and they will be unto you as your own offspring; you shall make no discernment nor distinction between them and those of your own loins, for in the eyes of The Seven they are one in the same. They will wear your name, bare your banner, and become as to your own flesh. In your passing, they will inherit your lands, your titles, and all things of this material world that you hold.” Fumna granted Matthias and I horses of the finest breed and provisions well beyond our needs. She spoke to us saying, “To Leva Éa you must ride. These horses will carry you swiftly, oh beautiful sons of The Seven. Remember, do not remain passive to the plights of your fellows, lest you too be scattered to the winds. Be kind and aid those who require of you, and your soul will be carried among the heights of Jerua.”